Cement newsbytes from the Americas and Caribbean

Brazil

According to Reuters Brasil, CSN has formed an agreement with rail company MRS Logística for the transport of cement from Volta Redonda to Rio de Janeiro, São José dos Campos and São Paulo. The deal is worth an estimated R$23 million pa and will be valid until November 2026.

Elsewhere in Brazil, equipment for Cimento Zumbi’s new cement plant in Alagoas is scheduled to arrive by the end of November. The majority of the equipment will be provided by Chinese suppliers. Around R$10 million is being invested in the 65 tph plant, which is likely to start-up in mid-2014, helping to meet demand in the local area. The facility will generate 58 direct and 173 indirect jobs.

Dominican Republic

ADOCEM has reported that cement consumption declined in 2012, with sales volumes falling by 8.2% y/y to 2.2 million t in January – October 2012. The decrease has been partially attributed to lower construction activity and economic slowdown. In order to offset domestic decline, cement producers in the Dominican Republic have been increasing their focus on exports. The country’s cement sector exports around 34% of cement produced per annum, mostly to other Caribbean markets.

Venezuela

Cemento Andino has distributed 762 000 bags of cement to communities in the state of Trujillo through one of its “Puntos de Venta Comunales (PVC)” (Communal Points of Sale). This will benefit around 75 900 people. The company plans to open a further 26 PVCs over the next few weeks, including ten in Mérida, five in Barinas, five in Guanare and six in Trujillo.

Approximately 81% of cement produced by Cemento Andino is used in the country’s housing programme – “La Gran Misión Vivienda Venezuela”. The remainder is destined for use in local communities.

Edited from various sources by Louise Fordham

Read the article online at: https://www.worldcement.com/the-americas/14102013/cement_newsbytes_brazil_venezuela_dominican_republic_291/